Tuesday, 25 May 2010

The only 5-star (according to the 2010 Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships) expedition vessel in the world, the MS HANSEATIC will be offering two of the last great unexplored routes in the world, the Northwest Passage and Kamchatka this year. Both routes, rarely traveled by cruise ships, offer a luxury cruise experience and a once in a lifetime adventure.

THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE In August 2010, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will be offering their Northwest Passage itinerary with MS HANSEATIC, departing Kangerlussaq, Greenland on August 16, 2010 for a 24-day voyage along Greenland and near the Arctic Circle, and ending in Nome, Alaska on September 9th. It is the most famous sea route in the world, and has been both a myth and challenge for centuries.

The legendary passage for the HANSEATIC starts in Greenland and crosses Disko Bay. Guests will be thrilled to encounter caribou, polar bears, musk oxen, bald eagles, and whales, while taking full advantage of the many Zodiac landings to explore the impressive glacial coasts along the route. Planned highlights (weather permitting): a visit to a former whaling base in Herschel Island; a landing in Cambridge Bay on Victoria Island, including a visit to the wreck of the "Maud," in which Roald Amundsen conquered the Northwest Passage; zodiac landings in Peel Sound, the Franklin Strait and Larsen Sound; and a stop in Barrow, Alaska, the most northern city in the world. Shore excursions at an additional charge.

The itinerary starts at $21,000 per person, based on double occupancy for an outside cabin. Charter flights from Hanover/Germany to Kangerlussuaq/Greenland and from Nome/Alaska to Vancouver/Canada are included in the cruise price. UNIQUE EXPEDITION THROUGH KAMCHATKA The remote reaches of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, and the distant and isolated Kuril Islands have mesmerized explorers and traders for centuries. This exploration takes guests along the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, cruising to Japan’s northern islands, through the Kuril Islands and along the Kamchatka coast.

The wildlife is some of the richest in the world and the scenery of snow-capped volcanoes, dense forest, tundra and meadow is spectacular. Geysers, hot springs and active volcanoes set amidst towering mountains and fast flowing rivers make this area unique. This itinerary will be fully bilingual, departing Nome, on September 9, 2010 for a 19-day expedition voyage to the Chukchi Peninsula, Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Sakhalin, and ending in Yokohama, Japan on, September 29th.

Highlights of this cruise include the following shore excursions (weather permitting): a helicopter flight over the Kamchatka Volcanoes, a visit to the remote fishing village of Meynipilgino, a drive up to the Avacha Volcano in Kamchatka, and a walk around Atlasova, an uninhibited island with the biggest active volcano of the Kuril Islands.

Shore excursions at an additional charge. The itinerary starts at $12,240 per person, based on double occupancy for an outside cabin. This price included a complimentary charter flight for guests from Vancouver/Canada to Nome/Alaska.